Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.67 square miles (32.82 km2), of which 10.77 square miles (27.89 km2) is land and 1.90 square miles (4.92 km2) is water.[8]

A second-ring suburb north of Saint Paul, Shoreview has nine city parks and three county parks.[9] It has seven lakes, of which the largest are Turtle Lake, Snail Lake, Lake Owasso, and Island Lake, and
Rice Creek flows through the northwest portion of the city.[10]

Demographics

According to a 2009 estimate,[4] the median income for a household in the city is $78,990, and the median income for a family is $97,725. While 21% of households have incomes of $50,000.00 or less annually, 28% list incomes of over $100,000.00 per year. The
per capita income for the city is $39,761. 2.5% of the population and 0.9% of families are below the
poverty line. In 2000, males had a median income of $53,833 versus $36,565 for females. Out of the total population, 2.1% of those under the age of 18 and 3.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

2010 census

As of the
census[2] of 2010, there were 25,043 people, 10,402 households, and 6,996 families residing in the city. The
population density was 2,325.3 inhabitants per square mile (897.8/km2). There were 10,826 housing units at an average density of 1,005.2 per square mile (388.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.4%
White, 2.2%
African American, 0.4%
Native American, 7.2%
Asian, 0.6% from
other races, and 2.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 10,402 households of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were
married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.7% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the city was 44.6 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 35.1% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

2000 census

As of the
census of 2000,[4] there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 (48.5%), Females: 13,074 (51.5%), 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The
population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile (82,394.5/km²). There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile (355.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 93.28%
White, 1.01%
African American, 0.22%
Native American, 3.65%
Asian, 0.05%
Pacific Islander, 0.44% from
other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. 1.33% of the population are
Hispanic or
Latino of any race. Ancestries: German (38.3%), Norwegian (15.9%), Swedish (13.9%), Irish (13.9%), English (8.3%), Polish (5.5%). Median resident age: 39.3 years

There are 9,965 households out of which 34.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% are
married couples living together, 7.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% are non-families. 24.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.54 and the average family size is 3.06.

In the city, the population is spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females, there are 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.3 males.

Growth

During the 1970s and the 1980s, Shoreview grew rapidly. Residential dwellings tripled after 1970. During the 1990s growth slowed as the city matured and less land was available for development. The focus of the city has shifted from new development to infill and redevelopment. Future projections indicate a stable population base.

Education

Shoreview Community Center

Two nationally recognized public school districts provide educational services to Shoreview residents:
District 621 (Mounds View)
and District 623 (Roseville).

St. Odilia’s, a private Catholic school, located next to Island Lake school, has a total enrollment of approximately 550 students in grades K–8.

Governance

The Shoreview City Council consists of a Mayor and four council members. The Mayor serves a two-year term of office, and the council members are elected at–large to serve overlapping four year terms. Shoreview has adopted the Plan B Council/Manager form of government, one of three forms permitted by the Minnesota State Legislature. The Council has policymaking and legislative authority and appoints the City Manager, who is charged with the administration of city business in accordance with council decisions. The Manager has the authority to appoint all employees and is responsible for the development of the annual budget.

Shoreview made national headlines in September 1971 when a television tower on the site of the current Telefarm Towers collapsed during construction, killing seven workers.[14]

Public finances

Shoreview is financially sound with a strong and growing tax base of high-quality residential and commercial development. The city has received national recognition for its Comprehensive Infrastructure Replacement Plan and has a Standard and Poor’s bond rating of AAA, placing Shoreview in the top 12% of Minnesota government entities.

The Lake Johanna Fire Department operates four stations. The city owns two stations in Shoreview and shares a third station, located in North Oaks.

Building and development

In early 2008, the city adopted a new Comprehensive Guide Plan that serves as the framework for directing future land use and development decisions. The city also has an ongoing economic development program to retain and attract businesses that enhance the tax base and serve residents.

Public utilities

Shoreview's water system consists of six wells, two 1.5-million gallon elevated storage tanks, one 1-million gallon underground reservoir, and more than 100 miles of water main. The water system has a total pumping capacity of 14.4 million gallons per day, with an average daily demand of 3.2 million gallons and a peak demand of 10.6 million gallons per day. The city maintains 108 miles of city owned sewer laterals and 17 lift stations. Sewer trunk lines and treatment facilities are owned by the Metropolitan Council Wastewater
Services MCWS). Xcel Energy provides electricity and natural gas service to city residents. Along with this, the city maintains 88 miles of residential and collector streets.

History

1837 - Dakota and Ojibwe Indians once inhabited the area that is now Shoreview. Indian mounds containing human bone
fragments, arrowheads, pieces of pottery, and bits of charcoal have been found on Rice Creek near the north shore of
Long Lake in nearby New Brighton and in parts of Shamrock Park. In 1837 the land lying between the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, including what is now Shoreview, was ceded to the United States Government by the Ojibwe.

1850 - In February 1850, Socrates A. Thompson, accompanied by an Indian friend, left Saint Paul in search of a good location
for farming. Thompson was the first white person to settle on land that is now within the boundaries of the city of
Shoreview. Soon people from Switzerland, England, Ireland, Germany, Vermont, Virginia, Illinois and New York
began farming in Shoreview. A well traveled wagon trail passed through Shoreview, with the current location of Shamrock Park being a popular resting place for travelers.

1858 - At one time, Shoreview was part of the former Mounds View Township. The name came from a range of hills running through
the center of the township. Mounds View Township was organized on May 11, 1858, the same day that Minnesota
became a state.

1880 - Later in the 1800s railroad lines expanded to include Shoreview. The first railroad lines in Shoreview, owned by James "The Puck" McMillan and his Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway (now Soo Lines) were built in the 1880s.

1957 - On March 14, 1957 a group of citizens, feeling the inadequacy of a township government, presented a petition to the
Ramsey County Board of Commissioners that called for the incorporation of the Village of Shoreview. This action
would separate Shoreview from Mounds View Township. After a bitter dispute, an election was held at the Shamrock Park pavilion and the incorporation of Shoreview was approved by a vote of 853 to 748.

April 23, 1957, Shoreview was officially incorporated. The first Mayor of Shoreview, Kenneth Hanold, was elected
on May 23, 1957. At this time, Shoreview had a population of 5,231 and an assessed valuation of $1,884,000.
(Shoreview now has 26,500 residents and $3.1 billion in total property value.) The first elected officers met in a small
outbuilding on Willis Wilson’s property (County Road I). A few weeks later they moved into an office on the second
floor of Mayor Hanold’s garage (Rice Street and Interstate 694).

When questions arose about renting property from a mayor, a search was conducted to look for another space. Between 1957 and 1973, Village Hall was housed first in a former barn (Highway 96) from which the second floor had been removed. The next Village Hall, also located on Highway 96, was a small house which had been repaired following an explosion. At this time, Shoreview’s governing was being done from a restored house and a converted barn near Shamrock Park.

1963 - December 10, 1963, Interstate Highway 694 was opened through Shoreview. The three broadcast towers, located on the north side of Highway 694, were constructed in the early 1970s and have become familiar landmarks in Shoreview and are the tallest structures in Minnesota.

Citizens worked to change the form of government, and on November 5, 1963, in order to better deal with the village’s growing population, the citizens of Shoreview voted to shift to a “Plan A” form of government under which the village clerk and treasurer were appointed rather than elected.

1973 - July 17, 1973 community leaders decided it was time to build a City Hall. A referendum was passed by a single vote and a structure was built. This was the site of Shoreview’s government until 1990 when the City Hall and Community Center opened at Shoreview Commons.

1974 - Shoreview changed forms of government once again and became a city on January 1, 1974 through an act of the State Legislature. With a population of over 14,000 at the time, the residents voted in November 1974 to adopt the present “Plan B” Council-Manager form of government.

2007 - Shoreview celebrated its golden anniversary with a ceremony at Shamrock Park recognizing residents living in the community since its incorporation.

2011 - Shoreview Maintenance Center renovated/received the LEED Gold Certification by the Green Building Council. This was the first in the nation to be certified under the 2009
LEED rating system and only the fifth city facility in the state to be LEED certified. Mayor Martin received the C.C.Ludwig Award for outstanding service and leadership from the League of Minnesota Cities.